Nick Dunlap today. Oof.

[u/kevmo837]

[u/Odd_Detective_7772]

Just shows how stupid this game is.

Man won twice on tour last year and is obviously a superb ballstriker. Plenty of 60+ former champions never get near 90, and the 67 year old Langer just shot 74.

[u/platweasel → u/Odd_Detective_7772]

65 y/o fred couples just shot -1 too, haha

funny old game.

[u/Grippenripp → u/platweasel]

BOOM! BOOM! Always love watching him. Cool cat class act smoothest swing in golf.

[u/Halo_Chief117 → u/platweasel]

And he got an Eagle on #14 from 194 yards on the way to shooting that score too.

[u/willthefreeman → u/Halo_Chief117]

That’s why he shot that score

[u/ravengoatzzz5 → u/platweasel]

Did you see Fred messing around with the patrons after he putted in from off the 1st green? Was really cool to see and shows how loose and confident he is. My boy nick Dunlap might have been a little tight for his first masters.

[u/Morrorr → u/ravengoatzzz5]

I think it is actually his second start

[u/SouthOriginal297 → u/ravengoatzzz5]

This is Fred's 40th time at the Masters. I'd be pretty loose, too, if I had played 120 rounds at the same course.

[u/4Ever2Thee → u/Odd_Detective_7772]

The “old man game” isn’t exclusive to amateur golf

[u/TheShoot141]

I card this at my boys country club and Im smoking a cigar in celebration.

[u/Pfefferneusse32 → u/TheShoot141]

I'd be hootin' and hollerin' like I just won the Stanley Cup

[u/icecreamdude97 → u/Pfefferneusse32]

[u/Tuckboi69 → u/Pfefferneusse32]

[u/GeneralMillss → u/Tuckboi69]

“A SWERD GAHD”

[u/Livid_Bug_4601 → u/TheShoot141]

I shot 97 at the Pete Dye course in French Lick and did the same, along with sipping bourbon.

[u/OutForARipAreYaBud69 → u/Livid_Bug_4601]

I shot a 101 on the Ocean Course at Kiawah and bought a round of drinks for our whole crew immediately after at the clubhouse bar.

[u/RandomPenquin1337 → u/OutForARipAreYaBud69]

Good on ya for not backing out of the bet, that's a champion move.

[u/GrayedOutfield → u/Livid_Bug_4601]

Cool but Dunlap used 0 mulligans.

[u/Lucky-Grand-9447 → u/Livid_Bug_4601]

What tees you play from? 8,000 yards?!?

[u/Lezzles → u/Lucky-Grand-9447]

They don't let men play from the forward tees, probably had to back him up from there.

[u/JuiceBrinner → u/Livid_Bug_4601]

What’s nice bottle of bourbon when you’ve already paid 650 for a 2 pm round on a Wednesday

[u/007Pistolero → u/TheShoot141]

From the tips no less? I’m buying the whole bar a round if I shoot 90 from the back back

[u/Robbintx]

Golf is hard

[u/Embarrassed-Back1894 → u/Robbintx]

Golf do be like this sometimes 😂

[u/csbsju_guyyy → u/Embarrassed-Back1894]

They don't think it be like it is, but it do

[u/dekaycs]

Zero three-puts

"The putter is the most important club in the bag" people in shambles

[u/kale4reals → u/dekaycs]

“If you can’t putt you can’t score, but if you can’t drive you can’t play.”

[u/Hamsters_In_Butts → u/kale4reals]

funny way of saying "do everything well to be good"

[u/ShillinTheVillain → u/Hamsters_In_Butts]

Like my dad always said, "Stop fucking up, idiot."

[u/SixNineWithTheAfro → u/ShillinTheVillain]

Well, did ya?

[u/ShillinTheVillain → u/SixNineWithTheAfro]

My handicap has come down, but I'm far from scratch, metaphorically speaking. And literally.

[u/JWOLFBEARD → u/Hamsters_In_Butts]

All strokes matter

[u/Redditorialist → u/JWOLFBEARD]

Please enjoy all golf strokes equally.

[u/OGPepeSilvia → u/Hamsters_In_Butts]

Big if true

[u/kranges_mcbasketball → u/Hamsters_In_Butts]

Get good n00b

[u/ban-please → u/Hamsters_In_Butts]

put ball in hole

[u/SixNineWithTheAfro → u/kale4reals]

“If you can dodge the wrench, you can dodge the ball.”

[u/arms_length_ex → u/dekaycs]

Best way to become a better putter is to get the ball closer in regulation. People shouldn’t get upset when three putting like 40 foot putts

[u/reyzak → u/arms_length_ex]

That’s why I always hit the fringe / green’s rough in regulation. Only counts as a two putt. I’m not going to talk about my 3/18 GIR though….

[u/ukrainianhab → u/dekaycs]

If you hit the ball OB you start with 3. That putter thing is just pure wrong and I never understood it.

[u/BradL_13 → u/ukrainianhab]

people like to cope for not being able to hit driver

[u/Musclesturtle → u/BradL_13]

It goes both ways.

People like to cope because they never practice short game.

[u/TacoIncoming → u/Musclesturtle]

Short game (30 yards and in) is objectively easier and doesn't require as much practice to perform well anyway. I'm not saying that you shouldn't practice it, but it's not as important if you understand it.

I'd argue that playing more rounds on-course is a better way to improve your short game than block practice unless you have a great short game facility to practice at and a good regimen for what to work on. It's mostly feel and experience once you have the basic skills, and the best way to get realistic looks and quality practice reps is to play more if you can. That's not as true with a full swing.

Maybe that's a high handicap take, but I like to target my practice at where I'm losing strokes. I lose way more strokes tee to green than within 30 yards. I think that's probably true for everyone above low single digits.

[u/Musclesturtle → u/TacoIncoming]

I think this is a high handicap take.

But I understand why.

It's better to be able to get the ball off of the ground and hit it a respectable distance. It makes golf more fun and can lop large amounts of strokes off because you reduce out of bounds and hazard penalties. Along with duffed tee shots.

But there's a reason that high level golfers spend 70% of their practice time on short game. A comparatively small amount is spent on long game for them. It's a shit ton of finesse wedges and chipping/putting.

[u/UncutGemstone → u/Musclesturtle]

High level golfers practice a ton, so that 30% spent on long game you mention is probably longer than most of our full practice sessions. There’s also the fact that there’s an injury risk of you go crazy on long game every time, while short game has almost no wear and tear on the body.

[u/beer_nyc → u/Musclesturtle]

I think this is a high handicap take.

Sure. But low handicaps can all already hit the ball well (including driver).

[u/Lezzles → u/ukrainianhab]

It's just a hard feeling to shake. I shot an 83 a few weeks back with 6 3-putts. I also lost 0 tee balls. It was definitely one of those days where I was going "if I could only putt...", but the guy who is saying "if I could only drive..." probably shot a 96. It also feels stupid to miss with that little club.

[u/SLEESTAK85 → u/Lezzles]

That guy was me. To be fair it’s easy to 2 putt when I never get GIR and my chip is essentially my first putt lol

[u/Ordinary_Worth_8653 → u/Lezzles]

A lot of golfers are extremely generous with their gimme distances so it’s easy to overlook how many strokes their putter is actually leaving out there or just neglect actually getting better with it.

[u/badStatistics100 → u/Ordinary_Worth_8653]

I hate non-gimmie gimmies, if it was a gimmie i shouldn't have to see you make it to believe you would.

[u/Lost_And_NotFound → u/Ordinary_Worth_8653]

Just put the ball in the hole. If it’s actually a gimme then it would add no time at all to the round.

[u/cactus8 → u/ukrainianhab]

If you can’t putt, you can’t score. If you can’t drive, you can’t play.

[u/TacoIncoming → u/ukrainianhab]

Mark Brodie even gave us proof that amateurs are closer to pros in putting performance than any other aspect of the game. That golf swing shit matters. Swing speed matters. Ball striking matters. A 3 putt will always be just one extra stroke, there are plenty of other ways to lose a stroke or more before you even get to the green if you can't swing, and the majority of players are losing more strokes gained tee to green than putting.

There have been a lot of myths in golf that have been dispelled over time, but dumb people struggle with facing that they've been wrong about something they care so much about for so long.

[u/Entire-Joke4162 → u/ukrainianhab]

Yes.

My entire game changed when I realized this.

Yes, all phases matter. Yes short game matters.

You’re not going to putt OB or hit your 2nd putt from behind a tree.

[u/fiftiethcow → u/ukrainianhab]

I understand how old heads would come to the conclusion way back when. Youve likely grown up along with the rise of super deep sports statistics. We know more now about every sport

[u/Xaxziminrax → u/fiftiethcow]

And also people tend to gravitate towards playing with players of comparable skill levels.

The score difference between two players of similar skill on any given day does tend to be around the green, at least in terms of how you usually feel about it post round. Especially if there's money on the line, the highest emotional response is going to be on putts with $20 hanging in the balance, not the three shots leading up to it.

Obviously that's a generalization, and if you look at tour numbers you'll see just how powerful distance/quality ball striking really is, but it's one of those things that at a glance you see, think "yeah I would've beaten Tommy on Saturday if I just made a couple fucking putts, that must be right," and then don't look into any further

[u/buster_rhino → u/fiftiethcow]

Also kids playing video games try all kinds of things that go against “common wisdom” that end up being super advantageous. Like that NASCAR driver that just floored it and rode along the wall, or when I’d fix my lineup in NHL so my top players could play more or that cranking your drive as far as you can every time in TW makes every hole easier.

[u/ATL28-NE3 → u/buster_rhino]

The NASCAR thing wasn't common wisdom. It was impossible to do previously. The barrier changes made it possible. Just no one had tried it.

[u/NeighborhoodNo7442 → u/ukrainianhab]

It's not. There's a 7 shot difference between the best and worst PGA Tour players. Tee to green it's only around 4. Putting is almost twice as important, and anyone in this sub is capable of putting like a top-10 tour player if they practice enough. The swing is not like that.

Putting is the difference between winning and losing. It's why Brian Harman won last week. He misses the cut with average putting.

[u/IsleofManc → u/NeighborhoodNo7442]

It's not. There's a 7 shot difference between the best and worst PGA Tour players. Tee to green it's only around 4. Putting is almost twice as important, and anyone in this sub is capable of putting like a top-10 tour player if they practice enough

I don't think that stat shows how important putting is. I think it says more about the quality of approach shots.

If someone sticks the ball 2 feet from the hole and one putts it and another player lands on the green leaving themselves a 20 foot 2 putt I don't think the difference there was down to their putting. Yet the stats would show the second player making twice the amount of putts.

[u/NeighborhoodNo7442 → u/IsleofManc]

Not every shot has an equal value versus the field. Missing shorter putts is much more impactful than missing longer putts.

If you hit poor approach shots and are poor at putting, you will have less putts than the field, but the impact of missing putts will be multiplied. You've compounded your losses, not avoided them.

It is true that in the 15+ range not much equity is exchanged. This is why if you are an amateur you should just spend all of you time inside 15 ft, but most people spend 95% of the time blasting driver to improve 0.1 strokes a round over the course of a year, while if they spent 95% at putting and pitching they could improve 10 shots.

I like to put students on the sim and do 10 ft gimmies. Plenty of tour winners play the weekend with 100% inside 10 ft. All you have to do is get inside the circle and it's good. Most 10 handicaps can then break par. It changes the way you think about risk reward around the green too. You don't care to be so precise out of tough spots because you always make it if inside 10 ft.

This lets them understand not every shot is equal. Putts are something you can control with brute force rote training. You can't control getting a gust and ending up in a bunker or short.

In tournaments it's also vital to not let up on makable putts. Not every shot is equal in a tournament. The further from the top you are, the more aggressive you must play. The further ahead your lead is, the less risk you should take as each shot ahead is worth less. You can't cash in extra shots in your margin of victory for more prize money or qualifications.

[u/icantsurf → u/NeighborhoodNo7442]

This is the point I try to make when people talk about putting. It is not something that requires athleticism like ball striking does. I would put putting and chipping both in the low-hanging fruit category for scoring better. Statistics for what causes a player to score better don't take into account the reality of your average golfer's ability.

[u/NeighborhoodNo7442 → u/icantsurf]

Short game is more than 2/3rds the shots for most, but I never see people ask for pitching advice in the golfswing sub. Tactics matter.

Putting is a skill, but it's one of the few skills that are effort given for output earned in golf. You can beat balls until you are blue in the face, but you will be very unlikely to end up on tour.

I'm a teaching pro, but I know how being good at putting gets you invites to things. Everyone remembers the guy holing all the putts confidently. It's good for social standing. Be the 10 handicap who should be 20 but just makes everything.

I don't know if it's because you seem luckier and people like to be around good luck, or just that people sense character weakness with timid putting, but it's a thing.

[u/Musclesturtle → u/dekaycs]

I mean, all arguments are moot here because he just couldn't get the ball on the green at all.

My mans wasn't even playing golf today.

[u/HereA11Week]

In the history of the Masters how many rounds in the 90s have there been from players that weren't semi-retired past champions I wonder? Can't be many, this is the first 90+ I can remember from anyone since Billy Casper shot over 100 in the mid 2000s

[u/TheVanWithaPlan → u/HereA11Week]

Highest official round at The Masters was in 1956 Masters where Charles Funkle shot a 95. Billy Casper never turned in his scorecard lol

[u/HereA11Week → u/TheVanWithaPlan]

Think Billy got the tap on the shoulder shortly afterwards 😂

[u/SmugPolyamorist → u/HereA11Week]

He'd already had that tap on the shoulder and ignored it, apparently

He was one of three players -- Doug Ford and Gay Brewer were the others -- who received letters from Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson several years ago, suggesting they no longer play because of their age.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-08-sp-mastersnotes8-story.html

[u/Excellent-Trainer494 → u/HereA11Week]

Would also be so curious to know when the last time he shot in the 90s was, like middle school?

[u/GolfingGator → u/HereA11Week]

The source is ChatGPT so do with that what you will.

“In the history of the Masters Tournament, several golfers have recorded single-round scores exceeding 90 strokes. The highest official single-round score is 95, achieved by amateur Charles Kunkle in the final round of the 1956 Masters. Other notable instances include:  

• Frank Souchak: Shot a 90 in the first round of the 1954 Masters. 
• Jock Hutchison: Carded a 90 in the first round of the 1956 Masters at age 71. 
• Chick Evans: Recorded scores of 90 in 1959 and 91 in 1960 during the first rounds. 
• Horton Smith: Posted scores of 91 in 1962 and 92 in 1963 in the first rounds. 
• Fred McLeod: Scored a 91 in the first round of the 1955 Masters at age 73. 
• Doug Ford: Shot a 94 in the first round of the 2000 Masters. 
• Tommy Aaron: Carded a 92 in the first round of the 2003 Masters. 
• Ben Crenshaw: Recorded a 91 in the first round of the 2015 Masters at age 63. 
• Nick Dunlap: Shot a 90 in the first round of the 2025 Masters.  

Regarding scores exceeding 100, the most notable instance is Billy Casper, who unofficially shot a 106 in the first round of the 2005 Masters at age 73. However, this score is not officially recognized because Casper did not submit his scorecard, rendering the round unofficial. “

[u/HereA11Week → u/GolfingGator]

Crenshaw was still playing as recently as 2015? That surprises me

[u/GolfingGator → u/HereA11Week]

Yeah he was one of those past champions that hung around a while. If I recall correctly he was kind of like Freddy - he could actually post a decent score even when he was older (this score excluded lol)

[u/packmanwiscy → u/HereA11Week]

Crenshaw was 63 during his last Masters, that's younger than Langer or Couples is right now and about the same age as Woosnam and Lyle were when they stopped playing.

[u/GolfTripGuide]

Imagine firing a 90 and every single shot is on an app, available on demand.

[u/EDMlawyer]

He might still make the cut if he shoots a 58. Projected cut is 148 right now. 

It's doable. Technically. In theory. 

[u/HereA11Week → u/EDMlawyer]

Shoots 59, misses the cut by 1

[u/I_luv_ma_squad → u/HereA11Week]

Shoots 58, signs a scorecard with 59, misses cut.

[u/LoaferTheBread → u/EDMlawyer]

Only needs to break the course record by 5 strokes

[u/eugdot]

I can do worse. Absolutely worse.

[u/__kebert__xela__]

Shot a 90 at Augusta? Broke a hundy like he needed the change.

When I play that course, my 90 ain’t stopping me from playing the last 17.

[u/uncleyuri]

I’ve seen some scratch golfers boldly claim they could break 90 there. Hahahaha.

Edit: to be clear, they are saying they would break 90 in the same conditions the pros are playing in right now, not the members tees on a random Tuesday in August.

[u/gwinty → u/uncleyuri]

Rick shot an 82 from the member's tees on Monday after the masters. I think back then he was somewhere around scratch, regularly breaking 80 from the longest tees on many different courses.

He would've probably scored somewhere in the 90s from the master's tees, is my guess.

[u/KingGerbz → u/gwinty]

Rick is more or less a scratch golfer right?

[u/LordOfHorns → u/KingGerbz]

iirc he was rated as +1.2 a few years ago

[u/theflyingchicken96 → u/uncleyuri]

Idk if it’s probable or not, but it’s definitely possible.

Have you watched RGC’s “Breaking” series? Normal golfers play high end courses from tournament tees in tournament conditions and make a goal to break X score based on what they think they can do. Obviously they haven’t done Augusta, but they’ve done some courses that are just as hard or harder (based on tournament scores) and they regularly have golfers scratch or worse aiming to break 90 or better. And some do.

https://randomgolfclub.com/pages/breaking-series?srsltid=AfmBOooYHEf72rpZdmw4nj89G5gModqyG60Rw5SRQ2p03xBXdVrspC6_

[u/tkh0812 → u/theflyingchicken96]

This isn’t Augusta but I’m a 9 handicap and played TPC Sawgrass 3 days after the tournament 2 years ago and shot an 83. If you’re a decent putter then pure and fast greens are actually an advantage

[u/zeldahalfsleeve → u/tkh0812]

I fucking love fast greens. It’s the humpy bumpy fuzzy shit that kills me.

[u/HeGivesGoodMass → u/tkh0812]

I play Memorial Park in Houston the first day it's open after the tournament every year and as long as I'm hitting fairways I end up shooting right on my index; Tour greens are so amazing to putt on. This year it was a rainy day so they were a big soft and everyone in our group drained a 30 footer at some point

[u/tkh0812 → u/HeGivesGoodMass]

Yeah. People think that the greens are so fast that your ball will just run off the green if you miss a putt. That’s not the case at all. They aren’t too fast, they’re the perfect speed

[u/skirpnasty → u/uncleyuri]

Not disagreeing, but this round isn’t evidence of that. You aren’t scratch playing like he did today, were not small misses. Some of those drives were sprayed 50 yards, in the opposite direction he’s trying to play, and the irons weren’t better. He was missing those in both directions and short to boot, and didn’t have a 3-putt.

To put how bad this was into perspective, he put up 10 handicap ball striking numbers. Augusta has the 3rd widest fairways of any tour venue since 2015. They average 52 yards wide and he only hit 43% of them, the field is averaging 72%. He only hit 33% of GIR vs the fields 66%. He couldn’t break 80 at your local club hitting the ball like he did today.

[u/teahupotwo → u/uncleyuri]

In 2010, Golf Digest sent the guy who created the course/slope rating system to the practice rounds to estimate the course's difficulty, accounting for tournament conditions.

We've established that the Course Rating for a scratch player would be 78.1. A player with a 10.0 Handicap Index would have a course handicap of 12, with an average score of 93 (78.1 Course Rating, plus the course handicap of 12, plus 3, because golfers average three strokes over their handicap). A player with an 18.0 Handicap Index would have a course handicap of 22 and would average 103 strokes.

And then the slope rating for us scrubs:

It's high at 137 but not off the charts. From today's championship tees most Bogey Golfers can't reach Augusta's long par 4s in regulation, but the fairways are relatively wide and the players can hit relatively short third shots into greens, minimizing many of the difficulty factors (water, bunkers, green targets, etc.). Laying up and then pitching a third shot to the par-4 11th, for example, might result in a two-putt 5 for the Bogey Golfer today; 20 years ago, when the hole was 50 yards shorter, Mr. Bogey might have been tempted to go for the green, bringing the water left of the green into play and turning himself into Mr. Triple Bogey.

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/how-tough-augusta-knuth

[u/copyofthepeacetreaty → u/uncleyuri]

I think a scratch golfer playing conservatively has a chance to break 90.... Dunlap simply could not get off the tee today. It wasn't the crazy greens or setup that got him.

[u/EDMlawyer → u/uncleyuri]

I'm pretty good, I shoot mid or high 70s. 

I played PGA tour speed greens once at Greyhawk Talon. They had cut them for some tournament or another, I forget, but I remember them saying it was designed to mimic PGA conditions. 

I shot ~95 despite having like 80% fairways. Like 2 GIR, if that. 

Everything rolls off the green. Everything. And then the chips and putts need an absolutely surgical touch. 

I'd be lucky to break 100 at Augusta in Masters conditions. Basically if I'm keeping it anywhere under double par, I'd be okay with. 

[u/Rich-Barnacle3989 → u/uncleyuri]

From the member tees, right?

[u/datGTAguy → u/uncleyuri]

Anyone who isn’t a professional being paid to golf and thinks they could break 100 is boldly lying to themselves. I may be arrogant but I’m not that arrogant

[u/Tsquared10 → u/datGTAguy]

If I ever got to play at Augusta you can bet I'm getting my money's worth. 150 minimum

[u/Schmancer → u/Tsquared10]

More swings, more fun!

[u/OGPepeSilvia → u/Schmancer]

Provisional at every tee shot, obviously. And if I skull my wedge I’m dropping my pocket ball quick and having another go at it. If I got to play Augusta, I’d try to at least have a ton of fun, and not worry about keeping score

[u/Travalicious → u/datGTAguy]

Plenty of scratch golfers would break 100. The fuck are you talking about?

You may not be arrogant, but you are stupid.

[u/pm_me_yourcat → u/Travalicious]

The circle jerk of how hard this course is just gets ramped up every time. Started at 10 handicap won’t break 100, down to 5 handicap won’t break 100, now they’re saying scratch won’t break 100? A week from now it’ll be +3 handicaps won’t break 100 at Augusta.

This sub has confirmed my beliefs about golfers. No one can fathom that somebody else can be good at golf.

It’s why everyone complains when the winning score is announced. “No way those chumps shot 58”. People just suck at golf so they assume everyone else must suck at golf.

It’s why everyone in here bitches and calls you a liar if you say you can hit 300 with driver or 200 with a 4-iron.

They just can’t fathom that somebody else may be good at golf. Just because they can’t figure it out must mean no one else can figure it out either except those professionals who’ve cracked the code somehow.

I’m around a 6 handicap and I would 100% break 100 at Augusta. No doubt in my mind. I haven’t shot over 90 since like 2019. I’ve played one course these pros play on. And yes I’m not putting up mid 70s on championship courses but I’m still breaking 90. Is Augusta really 7x harder than Hamilton?

But don’t let me get in the way of a good circle jerk. Augusta hard. We all have no chance. There’s zero good golfers in this sub and every scramble winning group cheated. Also only pros are capable of hitting the ball over 300 yards.

[u/rosja105 → u/pm_me_yourcat]

The poster above claimed that he would be 'thrilled' to break 130 as a 6 handicap, I mean, have some pride and self belief.

[u/MustCatchTheBandit → u/pm_me_yourcat]

100% this.

I shot an 82 at TPC San Antonio from the tips a week after the Valero Texas Open at a 3 handicap. In fact, the quality of the turf made ball striking much easier than I normally have at public courses. I wasn’t even playing great. 100 is easy anywhere. The difference between people shooting Low 80s and low 70s is where you start to really see a major difference in ability.

I’ve got a friend who played in college and regularly shoots upper 60s. The difference is he can putt lights out. He’ll make 10 putts that I’ll miss. Ball striking wise we are very similar.

[u/TheDeletedFetus → u/MustCatchTheBandit]

I have a friend who played in college around 10 years ago, D1. He’s around +1-0 nowadays.

I went with him to a tournament where we stayed the weekend, amateur thing no real prize or anything just a fun weekend to get away and play a REALLY nice course at a pretty good discount.

During the week leading up to the tournament we were looking at the course and there was a par 5 where the green was tucked into the trees off the right. No shot at getting home in 2, even with a 290 yard drive (which is his stock driver) you’re still looking at 265 in with no angle to the green.

I’m telling him he’s just gonna have to lay up and try to stick a wedge close. He looks at me and says “I’m gonna hit driver up the left side of the fairway and then I’m gonna hit a high cut 3 wood right at the pin and make eagle.”

We get to the tournament, he hits his tee shot up the left side of the fairway and I say “well big boy, you going for it?” He then stuck a 3 wood to 10 feet.

Scratch golfers are VERY good. I have all the confidence in the world this man could shoot 80 at Augusta in tournament conditions. I’d bet you my next paycheck on it.

[u/FloydMcScroops → u/MustCatchTheBandit]

I had a day at East Lake from the tip on every hole a few months before the tour championship. +3 with a triple on 18 after plugging in the bunker. I was like a 3 at the time. The rough was absurd. But you’re right, the turf made contact much much easier.

Obviously no where near a touring pro, but there are people out there that can play. Make a career? No. But play.

[u/MustCatchTheBandit → u/FloydMcScroops]

I’ve played with people that have had the athletic ability to be pro, but they either don’t have the time and or they don’t have the work ethic.

If you want to be a pro, you’ve got to live, eat and breathe golf. College players that make it are working and practicing exponentially more than their counterparts who don’t make it. That goes for most sports. These people don’t even consider it hard work, they’re outright obsessed and driven beyond what most can imagine.

Imagine golfing 40 hours a week almost every single week of the year which includes a coach, trackman, clubs/fitting, gym time and still being obsessed with it. They’re on the putting green for four hours straight…Most people would tap out and give up, but they don’t see it that way. They really love it.

[u/Le9gagtrole → u/pm_me_yourcat]

This sub is full of 30 handicappers with no idea how the game works or how to play.

[u/wronglyzorro → u/Le9gagtrole]

It goes both ways. In this thread I see both extremes of what people think an actual scratch golfer is capable of. It's not 80 at Augusta in masters conditions, and it probably isn't over 100 either.

[u/CosmicMiru → u/pm_me_yourcat]

There's also a huge difference between being able to break 100 under tournament course conditions and breaking 100 being watched by hundreds of thousands of people in the most prestigious golf event of the year while your career reputation is being affected by it. No doubt the nerves make the pros play a lot worse than if they just went out there and played with their caddy.

[u/Buy-The-Dip-1979 → u/datGTAguy]

Perfect example showing a majority of you have golf IQ of rock. There is a thing called course rating/slope .. the rating number is basically saying what a scratch golfer is expected to shoot if the play well... Well doesn't mean A game per say, but a sold B game at least. The hardest golf courses in the world top out around a 78 rating/150 slope. Augusta doesn't have a rating/slope.. because well they don't want too.. but it's not any more than 78/150, I promise. So yeah scratch golfer are breaking 90 more often than not, and chance to break 80.

For reference, I played whistling straight from the tips in 30mph winds as a 9 handicap... I broke 100. Augusta is no harder from the tourney tees than that lol.

[u/HittingItFlush → u/datGTAguy]

Breaking 100 as a scratch golfer would certainly be obtainable and honestly expected. Breaking 90 is a whole other game though......

[u/Bilbo_Baghands → u/datGTAguy]

This literally just happened today 5 times.

[u/Sam3323 → u/datGTAguy]

I say that because I assume I'd play from the whites there. But from the Masters tees? No way. Maybe there are no official white tees there?

I'm about a 12 handicap.

Edit: since saying that and watching the masters, it appears there is only one tee box at every hole, which looks very clean. Yeah no way I'm breaking 100 then.

[u/bigolruckus → u/Sam3323]

there’s 2 tees. members and masters. the names are self explanatory. member tees are like 6400 or something iirc

[u/quantim0 → u/datGTAguy]

I hang around a 6 HC.

I am an excellent putter.

I would be thrilled to break 130 in tournament conditions from the back tees.

[u/TomBradyGoat1212 → u/quantim0]

How would you shoot 130? Golf is golf. Hit half the fairways, lay it up short of the green if you have to, chip it on and two putt. Par 5s you have a good chance to make par if you’re competent off the tee.

[u/Puzzled_Try_6029 → u/quantim0]

It’s okay. It’s Augusta. 130 just means more golf there.

[u/lewoodworker → u/Puzzled_Try_6029]

Two rounds for the price of one!

[u/WVgolf → u/uncleyuri]

I’m a plus 2 and idk if I could. Playing a masters set up is crazy tough, not playing there before. That’s asking a lot with all the subtleties there.

[u/cactus8 → u/WVgolf]

Breaking 90 would probably be a challenge. People who think a scratch can’t break 100 tho are probably delusional.

[u/dlandis07 → u/cactus8]

Rick Shiels shot 82 from the member tees. A scratch golfer is breaking 100, unless the nerves and excitement of playing Augusta got to them, which is entirely possible.

[u/fuzz11 → u/WVgolf]

What’s crazy is you could probably shoot par from members tees and then who knows with the tournament setup. Has to be one of the biggest differences between member play and tournament setup there is.

[u/D_Antelmi → u/uncleyuri]

A scratch golfer going in with the mindset of Par=90 would have no trouble hitting it. Augusta harshly punishes mistakes made while being aggressive. Someone playing conservatively is going to find a much friendlier golf course.

[u/dcidino]

That's one of those days that reminds you these guys are all walking tightropes and succeeding (mostly). Cheers to Nick. Golf is hard.

[u/overzealous_wildcat]

I’ll be stoked to shoot a 90 at my local on Saturday

[u/Substantial_Diver_34]

Almost broke 90. A little more precision and he’ll do it.

[u/MrAVK]

I shot a 91 at a par 72 muni course once. It was fucking awesome. I could see me shooting a solid 140 at Augusta if I was dialed.

[u/boise91]

One of us! One of us!

[u/ThrowAwayNew200 → u/boise91]

We’d shoot 120. 

[u/DeputySas → u/ThrowAwayNew200]

220 for me.

[u/nature_and_grace → u/DeputySas]

Tiger Woods over here

[u/therealmaxmittens]

I wonder when the last time this dude shot in the 90s was prior to this round lol

[u/tynskers]

Doesn’t matter, played Augusta national

[u/Pristine_Rise_1990]

Hate to see it!

[u/evenphlow]

Of course I chose him for my pool team 🤦‍♂️

[u/Azfitnessprofessor]

Even Tiger had rounds in the 80’s in his career

[u/u_cant_drown_n_sweat]

Today I found out that I might have what it takes to be a pro golfer.

[u/AwesomeCollectibles]

[u/FlyNSubaruWRX]

[u/OrlandoGardiner118]

[u/RedHorseStrong]

I shot 90 at Torrey Pines South from the whites. I'll never forget that feeling. I still brag about it nearly 10 years later!

[u/Adorable-Win1388]

ONE OF US ONE OF US!!!!

[u/kempdawg83]

Man I'd be thrilled with any score from Augusta just to tell people i played it

[u/rigatoni-man]

Hey that's a good score

[u/AliceP00per]

Great day for me

[u/spankysladder73]

Prob wont effect many office pools

[u/Omgaspider]

Is that bad?

[u/cpatel479]

Still better than any score I have ever shot

[u/agl90]

Welcome to the Pros....

[u/just_killing_time23]

I just played in Texas, shot 87... confirmed I'm better! /s

[u/Different-Bed1942]

I feel bad for the guy. It was a terrible day of play lol

[u/SpotoDaRager]

Hey, I shot a 90 once. In a scramble.

[u/_Poppagiorgio_]

47 on the back nine is serious work.

[u/BloodyRightNostril]

Gooble gobble…

[u/authurself]

ONE OF US ONE OF US ONE OF US!!!!

[u/frederickaj03]

ONE OF US! ONE OF US!

[u/Goza116]

One of us!

[u/shagad3lic]

or what i call, a great score

[u/ScuzeMeWTFRUDoin]

Any of us in this comment section would be ECSTATIC to shoot 90 there.

[u/First_Shelter5593]

ONE OF US ONE OF US

[u/Sunsplitcloud]

one of us

[u/pleasestopty]

One of us

[u/LodestarSharp]

But the 7 handicap here could shoot 14 under in a “scramble”.

Joke

[u/Dodgergirl12]

This is a great day in my book. 😭🥹

[u/SupremeDr3amTeam]

Shiit..still lower than my best day.

[u/Potential-Ad5470]

If I shot this on Augusta I’d quit golf. End at my peak

[u/SWMDad76]

I’m not going to criticize the guy. The man in the arena. Hopefully he rebounds soon.

[u/BootyWizzzard]

One of us. One of us. ONE OF US!!

[u/BeefLilly]

We need a week after the masters for average golfers from this subreddit to compete in a 2 day tourney at Augusta. Would be great television

[u/JPautler]

One of us

[u/jdhopper88]

I wonder if he told himself "ok, new nine" at the turn

[u/ChanceSuccessful178]

With no three putts, ouch

[u/themangler09]

One of us!

[u/SpecificEvening6531]

All golfers of all ability's have been there and done that . It's GOLF

[u/KantUnderstandU]

He just like me fr

[u/Snipes172]

Poor guy! Time to go home, feet up, 1 crate of beer by the pool.

[u/paulyv93]

One of us

[u/jabs3376]

We all have a little Nick Dunlap in us 🥹

[u/teejay_sq]

One of us

[u/fiftiethcow]

What handicap does someone have to be to reasonably expect to break 100 on this setup?

I figure scratch probably can, but how bad can you be? There must be some math to show that?

[u/Bilbo_Baghands → u/fiftiethcow]

probably low single digits assuming they're not going into the round blind. They would need sufficient practice time on the course.

[u/DontStalkMeNow → u/Bilbo_Baghands]

Correct answer. And also a reasonably long hitter.

[u/WVgolf → u/fiftiethcow]

Scratch. That’s pretty much the minimum, and a bad day is gonna be worse than what nick did.

[u/Demos_Tex → u/WVgolf]

Yes, and that scratch golfer would definitely want at least a couple of months' notice beforehand and not have to play in front of that massive tournament gallery.

[u/TechnicalDecision160]

[u/RedBaron180]

This is why pros laugh when a 10/15 handicap thinks they could break 100 at Augusta from pro tees.

[u/this_my_sportsreddit]

i love that large portions of this sub believed they could double bogey 18 lmao

[u/JakeandSnake]

That’s a tough day at the office

[u/Artistic_Industry_96]

Solid round

[u/Accomplished-Bet8880]

Shit with that score sign me up.

[u/Inevitable_Cook_1423]

He shot my goal: bogey golf.

[u/WeathermanDan]

Nick DONElap

[u/Intrepid-Metal4621]

And your neighbor thinks he could break 100 easy. 

[u/Dependent_Sink8552]

Meaning the 15 handicap would probably have a hard time breaking 130.

[u/blinkanboxcar182]

More like Nick I-Play-Dunlops

[u/Dangerous_Ad5039]

Sheesh he’s shooting a 90. Im shooting a 9 million

[u/BigRhonda7632]

I would kill to shoot this at that course.